Ietal wheel and method of making same



(No Model.)

W.-P. 81; J. w. BETTENDORFQ V METAL WHEEL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

No. 550,815. Patented Dec. 3, .1895.

lln'irn Sierras ATENT rricn.

METAL WHEEL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,815, dated December3, 1895.

Application filed October 3, 1890. Renewed October 30, 1895. Serial No.567,452. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that we, VILLIAM P. BETTEN- DORF and Josnrn W. BEr'rENnoRF,of Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have inventedcertain Improvements in Metal lVheels and Methods of Making Same, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Our invention has reference to wheels in which metallic spokes areseated insockets in a cast-metal hub, the sockets being formed integralwith the hub and with continuous or undivided walls.

The aim of the invention is to provide for the firm connection and solidsupport of the spokes. V

In carrying the invention into effect we first provide a metal hub castcomplete in one piece, with spoke-receiving sockets, each presenting acontinuous unbroken or undivided wall, adapted to completely encirclethe end of the spoke. Into each socket we insert the end of a spokeadapted to fill or substantially fill the same, and after the spoke isin position we subject the hub to an external pressure sufficient tocompress or reduce the socket, so as to change its internal dimensionsand cause it to tightly embrace and firmly support the spoke. It is tobe observed that under our system there is a forci'- ble compression orcondensation of the metal of the hub, or, in other words, aredistribution of the metal of the character known as cold flowing. Thesocket may be formed with a smooth interior surface to receive the endof the spoke, in which case the pressure applied should be such as tocause the entire inner surface of the socket to be forced and pressedinward into intimate contact with the spoke; or before introducing thespoke into the socket the interior surface of the socket may be formedinto a projection and the outer surface of the spoke intoa depression toreceive the projection, so that when'the spoke is introduced and thesocket reduced in. size the projection will enter the depression andlock the parts firmly together; or the inner surface of the socket maybe formed with a depression to receive an elevation on the spoke.

In the drawings we have illustrated a machine suitable for carrying ourinvention into practice; but it is to be understood that other Fig. 3represents secsections on the lines and y 1 respectively,

of Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a bed or frame of any suitable form tosustain the operative parts.

E represents a curved arm attached to the bed in such manner that oneend overhangs the other.

O is an anvil or support bolted on the other end of the arm beneath theupper end. This anvil is adapted to operate in connection with 7 5 thevertically-reciprocating die or former D, mounted in the overhangingarm. The upper surface of the anvil and the lower surface 'of theunderlying die are dished or otherwise adapted to conform to theexterior shape of the hub-socket.

E represents a horizontal shaft mounted in the upper arm and provided atits forward end with an eccentric e, engaging the die to move the sameupward and downward. At its outer end the shaft is provided with agear-wheel F, engaging a driving-pinion F on a second shaft G, carryinga flywheel II, a drivingpulley I, and an idle pulley J.

. In preparing to construct a wheel we pro- 0 vide a hub L in one piecewith a series of radial spoke-receiving sockets Z. Having introduced theinner end of a metal spoke into one of these sockets, we place thesocket, as

shown in Fig. 1, upon the anvil G and subject it to the action of thedescending die D. The socket is thus confined and subjected to a severepressure between the anvil G andthe die D and compressed or reducedbodily and permanently, so as to tightly embrace the spoke. As thesocket presents a continuous unbroken wall-that is to say, is withoutopenings, slits, 0r incisions-it grasps and retains the spoke with greatfirmness.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the dies are so shaped that they not onlyreduce the socket but also reduce to a limited extent the contained endof the spoke, giving the same a reduced diameter near its inner end inorder the more effectually to prevent its end motion within the hub.

WVe believe ourselves to be the first to subject a hub and the containedspoke to external pressure in such manner as to reduce the size of boththe socket containing the spoke and the spoke, and this we claim,broadly, regardless of the peculiar shape which may be given the end ofthe spoke by such compression.

I11 Fig. 3 the spoke is represented as having an indentation f and thesocket as having the corresponding internal projection f, so that afterthe spoke is inserted the external pressure, reducing the socket, willcause it to tightly embrace the spoke and also cause the projection f toenter the indentation, as shown in the right hand in .Fig. 3 and in Fig.5.

In Fig. 4 the spoke is shown as having near the inner end a projectionand the socket as having an enlargement to admit this projection whenthe spoke is inserted endwise. After the spoke is inserted the externalpressure is applied to reduce the socket with the effect of causing thesame to tightly encircle the spoke to fit over and around theprojection, as shown in the right hand in Fig. l and in Fig. 6.

\Ve are aware that spokes have been inserted into a metal hub-socket andthen expanded or radially enlarged therein by the operation known asupsetting. e are also aware that spokes have been inserted laterallyinto a groove in the side of a hub having lips which were thereafterfolded downward over the spoke, thereby producing a socket with alongitudinal slit or opening in one side. WVe make no claim to either ofthe above constructions.

Our invention comprises three distinguishing features of novelty: first,a reduction of an undivided or seamless socket by the compression of themetal bodily to embrace the spoke; second, a reduction of both the spokeand the contained socket by the external pressure, and, third, thecompression bodily of a continuous or seamless socket, so that it notonly fits tightly upon but also interlocks with the spoke.

It will be observed that in the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, aswell as that shown in Fig. 2, there is an interlocking action betweenthe spoke and the hub by which the longitudinal motion of the spokewithin the hub is the more effectually prevented; but of course theinserted ends of the spokes may be of true cylindrical formt-hat is tosay, without shoulders or notches.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. The improvementin the art of securing metal spokes to metal hubs, which consists inintroducing the end of each spoke into a seamless or undivided socketintegral with the hub, and then applying to the hub external pressuresufficient to compress and reduce the socket tightly around the spokes.

2. The improvement in the art of securing metal spokes to metal hubs,consisting in forming the hub with seamless or undivided sockets,inserting the spokes endwise into said sockets, and finally applying tothe hub OXllGllltl pressure sufficient to compress and reduce in sizeboth the sockets and the contained ends of the spokes.

3. A wheel comprising metal spokes, and a metal hub having integraltherewith seamless compressed sockets in which the ends of the spokesare seated and tightly grasped.

4. In combination with the shouldered spokes seated therein, the hubhaving the integral seamless sockets compressed upon and interlockedwith the ends of the spokes.

In testimony whereof we hereunto set our hands, this 12th day ofSeptember, 1890, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

WILLIAM P. BETTENDORF. JOSEPH IV. BETTENDORF.

\Vitnesses GUsTAv. N. MEVES, THos. B. CAISON.

